At a Glance

distance: 3.7 to 10.8km	elevation gain: 150m to 450m	rating: easy to moderate	type: out and back or loop
dog-friendly: yes	road/parking: paved, free	public transport: yes	season: year-round

Quarry Rock is a nice short hike, (or “walk in the woods” for many) with a great reward for effort ratio. This hike begins from the cute town of Deep Cove, east of North Van.

Quarry Rock is a very popular trail because of its nearness to the city and its easy rating. It can get very busy in the summer so this is a hike I always prefer to do in the winter, midweek if possible! However, a sunny winter day will still draw a lot of people out to Quarry Rock and I don’t blame them. Please pay extra attention to leave no trace policies on this trail, the large number of people it sees each day takes its toll, and we want to keep this beautiful trail open for all.

I have included three different ways to reach Quarry Rock for those with varying adventure levels or those who have done Quarry Rock from Deep Cove many times and are looking for something new.

Quarry Rock Three Ways

1. The main option to reach Quarry Rock starts from Deep Cove and is a 3.7km out and back trail to the lookout. Though overall elevation gain is minimal there is plenty of up and down and man made stairs to conquer to get those legs working.

Enter Deep Cove via Deep Cove Rd, turn left onto Panorama Dr, and park in the parking lot to the right (free), it can be hard to find parking during peak times, but anything past this is residential parking so I would recommend taking a few minutes to see if anyone is leaving if the lot is full before looking in town. There are also public washrooms less than 100 meters from here in the park.

Continue walking east (away from town) and follow the Quarry Rock signs. Wander through the forest and over bridges until you reach the lookout on your right where there is a beautiful view of Deep Cove and the rest of Vancouver.

2. Another option is a 4.5km trail at 200m of elevation gain starting at the Baden Powel Trail Head Parking Lot on Mt Seymour Road. On this path, you will head steadily downwards, towards the ocean, which for me, is a bit of a bummer because no one likes going uphill on the return. It’s not quite as pretty as starting at Deep Cove, but much quieter and a nice walk in the woods with a great view at the end nonetheless.

3. The third option is for those people who want to add some extra distance into their hike at 10.8km, 445m of elevation gain, and a moderate rating. Begin your walk like option 1, park in Deep Cove, walk to Quarry Rock, then turn up a small side trail just before the lookout and follow option 2 up to the Mt Seymour Road Baden Powel parking lot, where you will cross the road, continue on Baden Powel, and trek to Pauline’s Rock. From there you will loop back down Mount Seymour into Deep Cove. Definitely download a trail map before you go because the section on Mount Seymour has plenty of interconnecting trails to get you confused. In the winter there is a chance of hitting some snow on Mt Seymour so check conditions beforehand and go prepared. There will also be some road walking on this loop.

Accessibility

An easy 30 minute drive from Vancouver to Deep Cove and free paved parking. From the Phibb’s Bay Exchange in North Vancouver you can take the 212 bus to Deep Cove or the 211 bus labeled for Seymour. Find other public-transport accessible hikes here.

Facilities

Near the parking lot you will find a large city park equioped with flush toilets, fresh water, and picnic benches, you should be able to find any basic item you need in the town of Deep Cove.

Tips

After (or before) your hike I recommend stopping in the town of Deep Cove for a treat after visiting Quarry Rock and making this hike a nice full-day excursion. Honey Doughnut’s are famous for their delicious baked doughnuts. For a healthier option, I am a big fan of Bluhouse Market and Café, they are strong supporters of local farmers and serve up crepes, bowls, wraps, smoothies, coffee, and more alongside a market that sells local, seasonal, organic items. Another favorite activity of mine in Deep Cove is to have a little wander around looking for celebrities who are using this scenic town for film backdrops. The town is only two blocks long so it’s worth it to walk the whole thing, stop in all of the cute shops, and wander down to the waterfront.

Check out my list of snow-free hikes near Vancouver here if you want other year-round hiking ideas.